To go big on EVs, Japanese car makers think super-small

Record ID: 1438194

  • Title: To go big on EVs, Japanese car makers think super-small
  • Date: 23rd October 2019
  • Summary: ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD, KUNIO NAKAGURO, SAYING: "As an automaker, dealing with global warming is our responsibility. In the automotive industry that has faced with a revolution, we, Nissan Motor, are also moving into a new era." VARIOUS OF NISSAN MOTOR'S NEW EV DISPLAYED ON STAGE NISSAN LOGO NISSAN MOTOR'S NEW EV DISPLAYED ON STAGE VARIOUS OF TOYOTA BOOTH TOYOTA MOTOR'S NEW ULTRA-COMPACT BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE (BEV) SIGN READING (English) "ULTRA COMPACT BEV"
  • Embargoed: 6th November 2019 06:53
  • Keywords: Japan auto show Tokyo Motor Show Nissan Toyota Mitsubishi
  • Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • City: TOKYO, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
  • Reuters ID: LVA002B2BFPZB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:As global automakers race to put long-range electric vehicles on highways amid stricter emission laws, Japanese rivals are taking a niche approach and steering towards cheaper, pint-sized runabouts to make costly battery technology more accessible.
    At the Tokyo Motor Show that starts on Wednesday (October 23), Nissan, Toyota Motor, and others are due to show prototypes of one- and two-seater electric vehicles (EVs) designed for short distances with limited top speeds.
    They are betting such EVs are best-placed for Japan's narrow streets, cramped parking spaces and rapidly ageing society, and that the vehicles will eventually catch on globally too as the elderly population grows. But the jury is still out on whether these vehicles will work overseas.
    The Japanese strategy is in contrast to that of General Motors, Volkswagen and other global players who are focusing on normal-sized passenger vehicles, including SUVs, to compete with the top-selling Tesla Model 3 EV sedan.
    (Production: Kwiyeon Ha)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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